Imagine that your board has just finished a long, involved and somewhat heated discussion on a matter of strategic importance. The board seems divided on whether the organization should take the opportunity of expansion or whether the new initiative should be delayed. At the heart of the issue is the degree of risk that board members can handle comfortably. The motion is made and seconded. The vote is a tie. What shall the board chair do? There is little doubt in your mind how the matter will be settled. You are well aware that the chair has been pushing for this particular project behind the scenes for some time. During the discussion he has spoken forcefully in favor of the motion. You regret not saying something about your discomfort with the process. After the meeting you hear other directors expressing disappointment in the outcome. The decision is made, but the board is divided.

The process described above occurs too often in boardrooms. Board chairs often speak for or against a motion. It is even assumed in some corporate cultures that the board chair should take the leadership in pressing for the initiatives that he or she supports. In some boards the board chair may even have two votes, one when the motion is called and a second if the vote is a tie. Read more

Imagine that time that someone wronged you at work. Although the person never apologized or even acknowledged his or her wrongdoing, you had to struggle through your feelings to the point where you were able to forgive. Of course, you couldn’t tell the offender that you forgave, because it would have been an insult to the person who won’t acknowledge the wrong.

Like almost every other Christian in the world you were taught to forgive and forget. You were able to manage the forgive part, but you haven’t forgotten. Mostly because the relationship is still broken. Somehow your forgiveness set you free, but it didn’t restore the brokenness. Why can’t you forget?

You can’t forget, because it really happened. And the idea that you should put it behind you refers to forgiveness, not to forgetting. The truth is that Christians have adopted a process that isn’t found in the Scriptures. What the Lord actually teaches is found in the well-known Matthew 18 passage. That is: Forgive and reconcile. Read more

“If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.”

High on the wall of the Johannesburg, South Africa, airport terminal is this African Proverb that has a lot to say about today’s organisations and churches, and the styles of leadership that are so very different.

Many of us admire the “strong leader” who can get things done. Often a pace setter, far ahead of the pack, this leader seems to be able to do what few others can do, and often all alone.

To say that this this kind of leader is my greatest nightmare in my practice of governance consulting may seem inappropriate or offensive. So let me tell you why.

My desire is to help organizations and churches to go far, not fast. I think that to last for the distance, to realize the vision that lies far into the future, leadership requires more than a strong will and a charismatic attraction.

It takes collaboration. “If you want to go far, go together.” Read more

Have you ever had the experience as a member of an Executive Committee of discussing the board meeting agenda before the meeting of the full board? Then when the board meets, you discuss it all again with but this time with more people. Did you ever ask what advantage there was to discussing the same things twice – and coming to the same conclusions? Imagine designing a process like that!

The bylaws of many non-profit organizations require an Executive Committee. It’s very common for the bylaws to authorize this executive committee to act on behalf of the Board of Directors between meetings of the board. Thus it becomes a mini board, vested with the same authority as the full board but for much more of the time than the board itself. Imagine that. Read more

I was introduced to your book, Governance Matters, in 2011 by Dr. Jason Ferenczi, who wrote his doctoral dissertation on “Governance in International Theological Education” under my direction at Columbia International University. While there is no dearth of professional literature on organizational governance, Dr. Ferenczi noted that your book is unique in its approach to the topic from a distinctively Christian perspective.

Since 2004, I have been involved in the ministry of Global Associates for Transformational Education (GATE, see: www.GATEglobal.org). In my role as a senior associate of GATE, I have recommended The Relationship Model to theological faculties in the Philippines, India, Kenya, Ethiopia, Togo, and Ecuador. Last July, I also used Governance Matters as a textbook for a Doctor of Education course at Columbia International University on “Leadership and Governance in Higher Education.” Students enrolled in the course are engaged in ministries in Sri Lanka, Chad, Sr. Vincent, Korea, and China, as well as in the United States. They reported your book was the key text (among five) in shaping their thinking about governance and administration in Christian higher education. Thank you for your work and for sharing your thinking on governance theory from a Christian perspective.

Decision-making is the third core process of an organization. The manner in which decisions are made within an organization is determined more by the underlying values than by any other single factor.

Successful decision-making results in the important balance between staff fulfillment and client fulfillment (productivity). And successful decision-making requires also a balance between authority and responsibility.

Let’s first take a look at the effect of various values on decision-making. In this series, we have been speaking of a continuum of value systems- from the authoritarian values on one end of the continuum to the laissez-faire value system on the other. In the collaborative center is the relationship value system that produces healthy working relationships and therefore also a healthy decision-making process. Read more

Planning is the second core process of an organization. Planning comes in two types – strategic and tactical.

The Board of Directors is the governing body of an organization. The basic strategic question that it must ask continually in an ever-changing environment is, “What services shall we offer to which people in which places and in what order of priority?” The answer to that becomes the strategic plan of the organization.

The board cannot answer this question without being in touch with key stakeholders on a regular basis. In our view a board should spend a minimum of 50% of its time listening to and learning from a parade of stakeholders coming into the boardroom. That parade should include clients and customers, donors and funding sources, representatives of the regulatory bodies – government, church leaders, specialists in the fields in which the organization works, etc., partners and “competitors”.

The one who can properly introduce all these stakeholders is the one who likely knows them best – the CEO. The CEO should involve other senior members of the management team to suggest names of people who can help the board stay in touch with the environment as it changes. And, of course, senior managers are themselves important stakeholders. Read more

Communication is the first of six core values that allow an organization to manage change. It is perhaps the core value, since it is also part and parcel of every other core process.

It is important for a manager to practice effective communication because it is the means by which information is transferred. Information is one of the basic forms of resource that people need for successful and fulfilling change management. (The others are people, money, and time.)

Effective communication models the underlying values that a manager holds towards those who look to him/her for authority. The values that form the basis of the manager’s communication will determine whether those who receive their authority from them will receive the information they need when they need it. Thus, the expression of those values will determine whether the staff is successful, fulfilled, both or neither.

The core values of the Relationship Model are affirmation, involvement and servant leadership. When these values drive the manager’s communication process, the information is generous, accurate, and matched to the staff’s own expression of need for information. The communication process driven by this value system is characterized by a staff that is affirmed in their need to know, involved in determining what information is communicated, and supported in their desire to put information to work. Read more

In today’s fast-moving world the concepts of management and “change management” are synonymous terms. Adapting to an ever-changing environment in which we attempt to achieve our mission is the predominant concern of all successful organizations.

Managing change effectively requires managers to be able to manage the six core processes that allow an organization to manage change. This series of articles seeks to introduce the six core processes that allow us to manage change and then to discuss each on in more detail.

Understanding the values that will make each of these processes successful and fulfilling is as important as understanding the processes themselves. The three primary value systems that we observe in management are authoritarian, collaborative and laissez-faire. These form a continuum of values. Where managers will anchor themselves on this continuum of values will determine their success. The articles will demonstrate the effect of each value system on the outcome of each process. Read more

Think back to that discussion that went so badly in a board meeting. Afterwards, you mentioned to someone that you didn’t agree with the board vote. Your fellow board member said that she didn’t either. She told you that she voted in favor of the motion because there was so much pressure. You agreed with her that it would have taken forever to overcome the passionate arguments in favor of the action. You both just gave up. In talking to others you begin to realize that the majority of the directors disagreed, but the motion passed anyway. Can you imagine that?

Why is it that we have all experienced decisions being made by a group that do not reflect the thoughts and decisions of the individuals within a group. Here are some common reasons why this happens. Can you identify with any of them? Read more

Testimonial

Governance Matters Book Review & Testimonial

I was introduced to your book, Governance Matters, in 2011 by Dr. Jason Ferenczi, who wrote his doctoral dissertation on “Governance in International Theological Education” under my direction at Columbia International University. While there is no dearth of professional literature on organizational governance, Dr. Ferenczi noted that your book is unique in its approach to the topic from a distinctively Christian perspective.

Since 2004, I have been involved in the ministry of Global Associates for Transformational Education (GATE, see: www.GATEglobal.org). In my role as a senior associate of GATE, I have recommended The Relationship Model to theological faculties in the Philippines, India, Kenya, Ethiopia, Togo, and Ecuador. Last July, I also used Governance Matters as a textbook for a Doctor of Education course at Columbia International University on “Leadership and Governance in Higher Education.” Students enrolled in the course are engaged in ministries in Sri Lanka, Chad, Sr. Vincent, Korea, and China, as well as in the United States. They reported your book was the key text (among five) in shaping their thinking about governance and administration in Christian higher education. Thank you for your work and for sharing your thinking on governance theory from a Christian perspective.

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